FITUA experience on the mobility and migration or Obstacles to them

1. FITUA experience on the mobility and migrationor Obstacles to them Contribution to the Surveys report Under EFFAT Project VS/2008/0423

2. ….Seasonal work in Agriculturelinks to the migrant work • Mobility in Europe – professional development • Flexity and Security • …European Employment strategy/ “New Skills for New Jobs” • …EERP – designed to limit the social impact of the crisis • The process is lower than the objects set

3. The process of gaining information – National workshops in Sofia – February and July 2010 • Key partners at national level invited: • TU – FNSZ, CITUB, Podkrepa • Employers’ organization – BAF, small farmers, etc. • State autorities: • EURES – National referent point • Employment Agency • Labour Inspectorat • MTSP – DG Free Movement • MAF – Dpt. Minister

4. The concept of Interwiew • Working together on key questions: • Reaching a common point of understanding on the important issue • To give an enfacis on the employment in Agriculture in Bulgaria • Designing an efective network

5. Employment in Agriculture BG • Very problematic after 1992 • 230 000 employees including: • 40 000 tobacco producers • 90 000 registred farmers • Employeed under Labour contract • Agrostatistics (2007) sais – 950 000 (in comparison to 1,3 mln in 2003)

6. Two aspects of mobility of BG workers in agriculture – 6 countries in EU • The emigration has slightly decreased in the last few years but still predominates • Out – of - country • Spain – 147 890 p. • Greece – 50 – 70 000 p. • Germany – 65 000 p. • UK and Ireland – 20 000 p. • Intra – migration • Promotion measures of mobility under National Employment program (still week effect on mobility)

7. Some facts • Bulgaria is the only EU country annual comparable statistics on migration. Big volatility of the figures • 618 500 BG longterm emigrants (2005) abroad • 10 000 emigrants 2008 NSI • Bulgarians working abroad – 18 700(2009) - 16 500 (2008) • Bulgarian students – 20 000 (2007) • EURES refers to Agri – 4 700 in Spain (2008), 5 050 in Germany (2008 and 2009) • Level of Competencies in the free movement management (the data provided by): • GD Migration in MIAffaires, MLSP, MFA, MES, Ministry of Justice • Employment agency • NA for Bulgarians abroad • SA of Refugees • NSI • Bulgarian National Bank • Vice-President

8. More facts about Bulgarian emigration…. • The invasion of BG in the EU LM was a myth – The transition measures (10 EU countries) still contribute to illegal migration • The number of legal working Bulgarians in EU countries increases • Economic crisis and employment – low-priced jobs, doing two jobs, but have it, over time work • 4 main sectors of BG working migrants: hotels, cleaning, building, agriculture • Female-migration – Case of “Bandante” in Italy, Greece • Family migration has increased – more integration, community, fidelity and solidarity • Socio- and personal impact of migration • The money flow from BG emigrants to – >400 Mln BGN/Year = comparable to, even higher than the financing, received by EU funds per year

9. Access to rights and social standarts • Qualification and requalification – it is not for the BG workers abroad • Finding job abroad – risks and negatives • From friends, other Bulgarians (32,5%) • Temporary Agencies in Bulgaria – 8,8% • News paper, internet – 13,5% • Working and living conditions • Labour contracts - • Salary – depends on the status but normally lower • 37% do not report for any social benefits – no paid leave • Overtime work – 9 hours/d and 45 hors/week, • family separation • Social benefits and pension rights - vulnerable • TU – membership - no interest!, fear, violation

10. About temporary agencies…reported by National Labour Inspection • Risk of unfair employment • The agency operates without any permission by the NEA • No contract with the employer given to the employee • Tax collection from the jobseekers for the cervices • The conditions in the contract do not respond to the reality • Blackmailing and modern form of slavery

11. Some conclusions… • More focus needed on social protection of the migrant workers and seasonal workers • Access to rights – awareness rising and information spreading –organizing workers • Transfer of rights to the national social security systems – loss done by the illegal employment • Health and safety at work • The role of control institutions is more required • Turning the emigrants back home – only if the stable economic and social growth is seen.

12. Immigrate to Bulgaria – why to do that? • Bulgaria is shifting from sending country to a receiving country – the trend is slow but sustainable one. • Reasons: • EU – membership 2007 • Economic growth and crisis – 2008/9 • Historical tendencies • Demographic prospective

13. Foreigners in Bulgaria • Permanent residents foreigners in Bulgaria – 69 423 (1.01.2010, NSI) • Russia, Ukraine, Macedonia, Turkey, Moldova • China, Syria, Vietnam, Lebanon, others • “Global nomads” • Working permits – 1900 (2008) 1000 (2009)

14. Bulgarian National Strategy on Migration • Two main objectives: • Returning the workers from abroad Bulgaria • Annual information campaigns in the Bulgarian diasporas abroad – youth educated people etc. – no data on the effect • Balancing the access to Bulgarian LM for third countries citizens • Bilateral agreements on regulated working migration – with Moldova, Macedonia, Ukraine and Armenia • National Council on work migration – consultative body for branch quotas • Partnership on Mobility – with Moldova and Georgia

15. Forign workers in the Bulgarian Labour market – skimpy information • In 2008 – permission for long-term and residence is awarded to 23 934 foreigners • Working permits – is applied by Turkish, Macedonia, India, Germans, Italians, Russians • “Old” and “new” - communities

16. The biggest migrants communities in Bulgaria • Macedonians – ethnical self-perception, ruts and relations, Bulgarian Passport • New Youth – students • Vietnamese • In 70-es – 15 000 workers in Bulgarian Economy • In 90-es – a lot of them come again to BG – small entrepreneurship, employed workers (construction and processing industry) – the salary in BG is 3 times higher than in Vietnam • Risks with the way of employment (agencies)

17. The biggest migrants communities in Bulgaria 2 • Russian community 15 595 (incl. Ukraine) –very well integrated • Import of workers from Ukraine – not very significant success • Arabian community – c.10 000 – buisness oriented and well organized and integrated into the society

18. Some conclusions on migration… • The employment of immigrants with a legal status is higher than the average employment in the country • Tendency to do undeclared work with low quality job (even under their qualification) • Significant part of them do not have any social benefits • Housing of immigrants is still a challenge • Linguistic barriers – obstacle for employment • Labour inspection reports – 5 sanctions (2010, for accepting posted workers without Permit issued by the EA) • Positive sites of migration – resource for the national economy, cultural and linguistic diversity.